


Know Your Place

by orphan_account



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Witchfire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:13:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28329537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Cinder knows a way to ease Salem's tension. In return for her service, Salem rewards her devoted maiden the way Cinder always wanted.
Relationships: Cinder Fall/Salem
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	1. Cinder's Service

It was dark within Monstra’s corridors when Cinder finally left the training chamber; just as wound tight as before she entered. The darkness was merely a construct, designed to simulate the passage of time. If Cinder wasn’t careful, she may have allowed herself to believe Salem had done it to appease her. During a particularly restless night, Cinder had awoken in her chamber shaking and drenched in sweat - Monstra’s ever constant glow reminding her of the hotel lights she had been forced to polish as a child until her fingers were red raw from the heat of the bulbs.

Cinder hadn’t mentioned her nightmares, but Salem knew. Salem _always_ knew.

Thoughts of the dark witch hadn’t left Cinder’s mind; the way Salem seemed to be constantly unimpressed with her as of late was starting to grate on the maiden’s nerves. She hated how she was still desperate to demonstrate her loyalty, to _worship_ Salem. It went against everything she stood for and was an insult to all that Cinder had endured in the past; and yet still...still she felt starved for attention. She craved praise, to catch Salem off guard, to have the upper hand and leave the witch in awe of _her_ for a change, _anything_ ; she’d take anything.

Cinder knew she shouldn’t have lingered, she should have headed straight for her chambers to rest, but instead she hesitated, hopeful for something to happen but uncertain what exactly it was she was expecting. As luck would have it, tonight, the eerie, empty hallways granted her a gift. 

The very witch she had failed to banish from her mind was approaching from the other end of the corridor. Cinder felt disgusted from the way her heart leapt with excitement, jumping at the chance to talk to Salem alone. Cinder’s temper was hard to control around the others, especially Tyrian. The fool’s smug smile whenever Salem would speak to him made her blood boil with what she knew was, but would never confess to, jealousy. It was different when they were alone. Salem would push her harder with no witnesses. The thrill it ignited through Cinder’s veins was a sin, but the thoughts she kept buried even deeper were worse - never acted upon, ever present.

It came as no surprise then, that Cinder reacted immediately, when she saw Salem’s figure sway dangerously as if she were about to faint. The woman lost her balance, one hand reaching to grasp the side of the wall, sending a low rumble through the beast. Cinder quickly closed the distance between them, rushing to Salem’s side.  
  
“My lady, are you hurt?” she asked, frowning with worry when she grew closer. Salem simply shook her head, waving her free hand to dismiss Cinder’s concerns.  
  
“I have simply over exerted myself today, I should think,” came the witch’s calm response. Usually she would have straightened her posture, she could not afford to appear weak by any measure of the word, least of all in front of the cocky maiden. Cinder’s frown hardened when Salem made no such attempt to move, still clutching the wall with splayed, rigid fingers.  
  
“Allow me,” Cinder said quietly, moving in closer. Red eyes lingered on Cinder’s outstretched arms, before rising to meet glowing amber.  
  
“That will not be necessary,” Salem tried again, to play off her exhaustion, but Cinder knew better than to fall for it. She ignored the denial, reaching to wrap her arm around Salem’s waist, granting her the chance to regain her posture with Cinder’s aid.  
  
“Are we suffering from a case of selective hearing tonight?” Salem lightly chastised, but, Cinder noticed, she didn’t push her away, instead leaning into the arm around her waist so that she could straighten her back and find her balance.  
  
“Forgive me, I didn’t quite catch that, your grace,” Cinder said with a small smirk. 

It was always a gamble, to attempt to answer back to the queen of grimm, even if it was in jest; her reaction was based entirely on whatever mood the dark woman was in. Salem rolled her eyes from the comment, attempting to continue her walk down the corridor. She was in a reasonably sedate mood, Cinder was pleased to see. She did not let go of her while they walked, and Salem seemed too dependent on the arm that was keeping her upright to scold Cinder for it.

“My chambers, Cinder, if you will.” They made their way down the corridor and turned the corner into a larger hallway, Salem’s voice soft at the edges where it should have been sharp.

“Of course,” Cinder murmured, guiding Salem towards the room she had been resting in since her new experiment had returned with Oscar.

His presence had taken a toll on Salem, a toll she would never divulge, given the extent of its complexities. Using her natural magicks, giving orders to so many grimm at once, their roars scratching at the corners of her shattered mind, the chaotic storm of emotions she kept under tight lock and key at all times - it was draining and Salem was constantly tired. She’d grown very good at masking it over the years, but Ozma had a way of affecting her, no matter how much she would have denied it. Salem would never know peace, but there was a small mercy in the fact that she had recently found herself able to sleep like a mortal again, albeit for very short amounts of time.

Cinder was to blame for the development. The girl’s incessant nagging for her to rest had eventually led to Salem selecting a personal chamber. The chamber contained a luxurious four poster bed, black silks draped around the frame, skeletal shapes curled around the posts. The cover itself was as white as Salem’s hair. With Cinder’s aid, they reached Salem’s chambers much faster, and she was silently thankful that they hadn’t stumbled into anybody else along the way - it would have made for a conversation Salem would have much rather avoided. 

“I can manage from here, thank you,” Salem said dismissively, reaching to unlock the chamber by drawing her fingers through the sealed grimm doorway. At her touch the black flesh shuddered and withdrew, revealing the entrance to Salem’s bedroom. Cinder watched, reminded once more of the sheer power the woman possessed at her fingertips, that such a simple act could cause Monstra to obey her every whim. Not that the creature had much of a choice… Cinder would have scoffed if she was alone, the absurdity of feeling as if she had something in common with a giant whale.

“It was my pleasure,” Cinder quickly answered when she felt Salem pulling free from her grip. She moved forwards instinctively at the lack of contact, cursing herself inwardly from the infuriating _need_ to prolong it. Salem ignored her, continuing deeper into the room, sinking down onto the bed with a weary sigh. She looked like a vision, the black darkness of her dress seeping into the pure white sheets. 

Standing in the doorway, Cinder stared, watching the way Salem lifted a hand to rub her face, those dark eyes sliding shut. The melancholy aura surrounding the witch set Cinder’s heart on fire. What could she do? How could she take away Salem’s tension? There was _one_ way she knew how, the only way that worked for her when fighting didn’t. Her face grew warm at the thought, eyes narrowing as she continued to stare at Salem, mulling the idea over in her head.

 _No, that’s ridiculous, there’s no way she would let me…_ Cinder thought, chewing the inside of her cheek, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. _But if it will help her, I have to try._

“There’s something on your mind,” Salem’s voice broke Cinder from her thoughts, startling her back into the moment. She blinked a few times, realising Salem’s eyes were settled upon her, where she stood awkwardly in the doorway.

“I…” Cinder stumbled, looking down to stare at the floor.  
  
“Do come in, if you’ve no intention of leaving me in peace,” the witch continued, her tone of voice holding feigned manners to mask her mild irritation at Cinder’s intrusion.

Cinder felt her ears burning with embarrassment, but took a few steps inside the chamber, hearing the grimm wall seal itself behind her, granting them total privacy. It scared Cinder, that they were alone like this...but it was what she wanted. Painfully so. A strained silence fell over the two women, Salem waiting for Cinder to explain what was on her mind.

“Can I assist you with getting more comfortable?” Cinder eventually broke the silence, taking the risk, expecting to be immediately denied and dismissed. Salem seemed to be taken aback by the offer, though her reaction of surprise was subtle, and had Cinder not come to learn all of her unspoken mannerisms, she might have missed it. While it wasn’t unusual for Cinder to make such an offer, it rarely came as a diversion from whatever was bothering the maiden. Cinder was usually so quick to voice her concerns.

“You may,” Salem granted permission after hesitating for a moment, clearly misinterpreting the offer into something far more familiar than what Cinder’s intentions were for tonight.

Cinder didn’t need to be told twice, crossing the chamber with confident strides until she was standing before Salem. The change in position was a rarity, with the witch tilting her head to look up at Cinder from where she sat. It felt strangely thrilling to be taller than her for once, and Cinder felt her heart squeeze gleefully. Cinder met Salem’s eyes, and without a single word spoken between them, she slowly began to kneel at her feet.

Salem was quiet, catlike eyes lazily settling on Cinder, curious what the young woman intended to do. She was certain Cinder would help her to undress; it wasn’t the first time the girl had offered, and she had been rather helpful during particularly exhausting nights where Salem could barely lift her arms, let alone disrobe.

As expected, Salem felt Cinder reach for the fold of her dress, carefully opening it enough that she could shift forwards between her knees. Instinctively, Salem spread her legs a little to compensate for the change in position. Cinder peeled the bottom of her dress open just enough to reveal the witch’s lower leg and high heel, careful not to open it too far that it exposed Salem’s thigh higher up. Once her dress was parted, Cinder’s human fingers gently caressed Salem’s ankle on a soft journey to the buckle keeping her heel secured.

There was something _different_ in the way Cinder touched her. Where usually the girl would be in a hurry to do the task efficiently before making a quick exit, Cinder was taking her time, her movements deliberately slow. Salem’s vision focused on Cinder, where she was knelt between her open legs. The sight should not have ignited any kind of reaction, but Salem felt something horribly _unfamiliar_ and wholly _inappropriate_ tug at her insides. She felt her mouth go dry, her tongue darting out to run along her upper lip, willing her eyes to look away from the maiden.

Internally, Cinder was a nervous mess. She knew Salem would notice the meticulous dance of her fingers, the way she unbuckled the first clasp as if it were made of glass. She kept her breathing steady, amber eyes burning as they stared upon the smooth, pale leg beneath her palms, dark veins coiled in beautiful patterns like wild growing ivy. Cinder took Salem’s heel in one hand, lightly tugging it down, feeling it come loose under her grip.

She was careful to place it beside the bed neatly, recalling how much Salem valued everything being orderly. Cinder didn’t dare risk a glance at the witch, releasing her right leg to begin the same attention on her left. She had been expecting the woman to scold her for taking too long, to demand she hurry up and get on with it, but Cinder was surprised to find that Salem hadn’t said a word since she’d begun.

Cinder still hadn’t completely committed to her plan yet. Seducing Salem sounded like a suicide mission, given the woman’s history with romantic endevours. Cinder was willing to take rejection, she was ready to accept any punishment, and although it would sting to be avoided by her queen, she could handle that too. What Cinder hadn’t contemplated, was that Salem might be receptive of it. The concept that Salem would allow her to please her in such a way didn’t even cross Cinder’s mind, but she was overcome with the suffocating desperation to do anything she could to ease Salem’s suffering, no matter how unlikely it was to work.

She hated herself for it, but Cinder knew it was pointless to deny her devotion to the witch, and so she channeled her pent-up desire, all of her hidden affection for Salem, into her actions. Once Cinder had gently loosened Salem’s other heel and reunited it with its partner, she committed to her goal. Bowing her head, with her hands still caressing Salem’s calf, lightly squeezing it, Cinder’s chapped, warm lips met with cold, porcelain skin. She placed a trail of kisses along the witch’s leg, cherishing the clash of fire and ice. 

The sudden, sharp hiss that came from above almost made Cinder’s heart stop; there were too many ways she could interpret it. Was it disapproval, anger or something else? In a rush of stupidity, Cinder’s head tilted so that she could look up at Salem and see for herself. The look she was met with stunned her. It looked like _arousal_ ...but that wasn’t right. _It couldn’t be._

When their eyes met, the tension felt as if it would set the chamber alight. Salem was trying to read Cinder’s face, her ability to know what the girl was thinking or feeling failing her. Her chest rose and fell where her breathing was picking up; Cinder noticed from the corner of her eyes how Salem’s breasts heaved under the fabric of her dress, that delectable, exposed cleavage sending a flare of heat straight between Cinder’s thighs.

It took all of Cinder’s willpower to hold their eye contact through the screaming anxiety in her head telling her that Salem was seconds away from slapping her across the face for her hubris. When Salem made no such inclination, Cinder threw herself into the deep end, holding their gaze while leaning down to place another lingering kiss to the woman’s leg. This time, Cinder saw Salem’s shivering inhale at the contact, and, undeniable in its intensity, the look on the witch’s face could be nothing other than arousal.

Spurred by the reaction, thriving on the thrill that shot down her spine, Cinder continued her kisses, travelling slowly higher until her hand reached to push the fabric of Salem’s dress away, exposing her thigh. Her eye broke contact to take in the sight, before she closed it, leaning in to press her lips against cold skin as if she were kissing Salem on the mouth. The strangled exhale that came out of Salem told Cinder she’d enjoyed it, but it finally broke the witch out of her frozen state.

“What...what is the meaning of this?” Salem breathed out, though it hadn’t sounded as firm as she’d intended, even if a flare of irritation kicked in. Cinder wasn’t phased by the question, her desire beginning to engulf caution inside a firestorm.

Cinder opened her eye, looking up at Salem with a new kind of devotion she hadn’t seen directed at her in centuries. It _did_ something to her. 

“Let me please you,” Cinder whispered, eager in her request. She shifted between Salem’s legs and the witch realised Cinder was just as aroused by what she had done as she was. Salem stared at Cinder, struggling to process what was happening. 

It had been many lifetimes since anyone she valued had shown interest in her. She was no fool, she could easily identify the sexual lust of mortals, and had been the subject of many hungry stares throughout her painfully long existence. What surprised her, was that it was the _maiden_ , of all people, to succumb to such lust. Salem had suspected Cinder had been keeping something from her for a while, but she never could have predicted _this_.

“I have shown no interest in behaviour of this nature,” Salem reminded, but in the back of her mind she heard herself question why she was feeling aroused from Cinder’s actions. It had taken a moment for her to identify the feeling, but once she knew what it was, Salem found it didn’t want to return to the cage it had been in, and wouldn’t stop roaring through her veins.

“I know,” Cinder acknowledged, “I’ve noticed, after all this time.” 

Salem seemed to relax, thinking she had gotten her message across to the naive girl, only to feel Cinder’s warm hand caressing her thigh. The sensation made her squirm approvingly, against her will, and Salem exhaled a huff of irritation.

“Then why must you persist?” she demanded, her voice so tense it was hard to miss the state she was in already. Salem knew she needed to put a stop to this nonsense immediately lest it grew completely out of hand. It was harder to follow through with the command with Cinder’s warm lips continuing their dreadfully delightful dance over the sensitive skin of her thigh. 

“Because I _want_ to,” Cinder’s voice was lower than usual, and Salem felt her stomach drop from the unbridled lust falling from every syllable. Cinder’s fingers ran along the inside of her thigh, prompting Salem to clench her muscles under the touch, glaring at the girl when she looked up at her with defiance burning in her eye.

“Cinder,” Salem warned, but Cinder took no notice, her fingers sliding higher until her grimm hand shifted to grasp Salem’s thigh firmly, sharp claws digging into her. Salem’s breath hitched, her eyes widening slightly from Cinder’s surge of confidence. It seemed the more Salem protested, the more Cinder’s urge to disobey amplified. 

The maiden’s human hand rose to push aside Salem’s dress over her opposite thigh, revealing more of her white skin, almost glowing under the dim lights of the chamber. Hidden between her thighs, Cinder could see the edge of Salem’s black underwear, prompting her to wet her lips hungrily.

Cinder was enraptured by her queen, the desire she had begun to unleash taking full control, pushing aside fear and subservience. Salem could only watch as Cinder’s eye grew half-lidded; she exhaled a hot breath against Salem’s thigh that tickled her. She resisted the urge to squirm, taken aback by just how much confidence Cinder was gaining from the situation. 

“I can make you feel pleasure like you’ve never experienced,” Cinder murmured sensually, her eye shooting up to lock onto Salem’s to show her promise of pleasure was sincere. Salem’s eyebrow rose from the cocky claim, though she was admittedly curious to know how Cinder could come to such a conclusion. Not to mention the arousal she was attempting to quell practically yelled with joy at the offer. 

“Your arrogance is unbecoming,” Salem said softly, in the hopes of shattering Cinder’s dangerously increasing confidence to prompt her to cease this line of thought. It would be a little awkward between them for a while, but at least no... _complications_ would emerge from their encounter if Salem could shut it down now. 

Unfortunately, Salem’s choice of words had the opposite effect.

Cinder felt a rush of satisfaction from being called arrogant, which in turn only fueled her need to prove she was capable of doing exactly what she’d said, especially now she knew Salem didn’t think she could.

Salem may have protested, but Cinder could see beneath the facade - Salem _wanted_ it. It was clear from the bright glow of her blood coloured eyes, in the way her thighs were clenched in anticipation, how her knees had spread even wider since Cinder had started to kiss her. The maiden was running on adrenaline, shock and determination were a wicked combination under the knowledge that Salem was already beginning to enjoy herself.

“If you don’t believe me, let me show you,” Cinder suggested, her arrogance staying strong, the cool exterior she fought to maintain barely holding up under Salem’s flustered glare.  
  
“That is not what I- _ah!_ ” Salem’s protest went interrupted by Cinder’s mouth latching onto her inner thigh. She sucked firmly, sharp teeth nipping at soft skin hard enough to elicit a moan from the witch. Salem’s hands shot down to grasp onto something, crushing the bed sheets between her fingers. Cinder smiled against Salem’s thigh, refusing to let up, feeling the woman’s hips rock forwards on the edge of the bed.

“You deserve to feel release, just as much as the rest of us,” Cinder whispered against Salem’s skin, tenderly kissing the fresh love bite she’d left there. “I will gladly service your needs,” Cinder continued quietly, her tongue sliding out from parted lips to drag over the teeth marks, feeling Salem shudder at the sensation.  
  
“You...” Salem tried to pitifully answer, but there was a change to her tone that Cinder had never heard before - _submission_. Salem opened her mouth to finish, but what she’d planned to say, what was the correct thing to say, was replaced with what she wished to say. “You have my permission,” Salem breathed tiredly, a rush of satisfaction coiling through her from the look on Cinder’s face the second she heard her answer. First there was surprise, which quickly morphed into desire, and finally, determination. 

There was something attractive about the maiden when she was set on her task - the fire burning behind Cinder’s eye; she was beautiful. It hadn’t dawned on Salem, the full extent of what she’d just granted Cinder permission to do, but there would be time for regret later, right now there were other matters that needed attending to.

“As you wish,” Cinder answered, amazed she managed to keep her voice level and not give away the state she was in. It hadn’t dawned on Cinder either, that somehow her plan hadn't failed, that for the first time in far too long, it was unfolding exactly the way she wanted it to.

Cinder wasted no time, wary that Salem could change her mind at any given moment, if Cinder did not impress or live up to her promise. She embraced her arrogance, and focused on doing what she knew she was good at. Pleasure was something Cinder had spent plenty of time dabbling in, and she knew exactly how to dish it out.

Cinder’s hands banished Salem’s dress from off her thighs with one dismissive flick of her wrists. The garment fell completely open from the waist down, revealing Salem’s lace underwear in all of its glory. Salem might have smirked from Cinder’s eagerness, if she wasn’t preoccupied with trying not to give away how turned on she was from the maiden’s confident move.

Cinder inhaled deeply, the view enough to ignite her into further action. Shifting closer between Salem’s knees, Cinder’s hands began to roam up and down the witch’s thighs, alternating between squeezing and scratching as she dipped her head down to kiss along the lines of Salem’s veins. Cinder discreetly tested what Salem liked, watching for signs as she tried different variations of caress. When she nipped at Salem’s skin like she had done before, she felt Salem jerk at the contact.

 _So, the queen of grimm likes being bitten; go figure,_ Cinder thought to herself with a smirk, sucking the spot she’d just grazed with her teeth, relishing in the way Salem’s breathing grew laboured, her hips lifting eagerly to press against Cinder’s lips. Taking the hint, Cinder sunk her teeth into sensitive flesh, pinching it between her tongue. The noise that left Salem’s lips was downright sinful, enough so that Cinder felt a throb at her core.

 _I made her moan like that…_ The realisation gave Cinder a dose of adrenaline, her grip of Salem’s thighs tightening, hot tongue brushing over reddening skin. Salem’s hips twitched again, her fingers clenching the sheets so hard they started to tear.

Cinder left several more love bites across Salem’s thighs, each one more intense than the last. Cinder leaned back to admire her work. She was almost disappointed they’d be unseen under Salem’s dress, but the secret knowledge that Cinder’s marks were hidden on Salem’s body, in such an intimate place, was enough to prompt her to sigh with gratification. She lifted the back of her hand to wipe her mouth, casting a glance up at Salem to find the witch staring at her with a glazed look of content desire. Cinder had never seen her look so relaxed, and hadn’t known her capable of wearing colour in her pale cheeks until now.  
  
“I think you’ll enjoy what comes next,” Cinder muttered under her breath, her fingers snaking beneath the sides of Salem’s underwear. A jolt of excitement shot through her stomach when Cinder felt Salem lift herself slightly off the bed. It granted the maiden the opportunity to slowly tug her underwear down over bruised, well-attended thighs.

“I’m certain you’ll only continue to impress me,” Salem purred in a low tone, catching Cinder off guard. She met Salem’s gaze, her cheeks heating up, before Cinder’s attention quickly returned to Salem’s underwear, which she was gripping tightly with trembling hands. 

Salem got comfortable on the edge of the bed once more, watching with a flash of amusement in her eyes as Cinder continued to tug her underwear all the way down her legs. It was clear the maiden became impatient, now that the witch was completely exposed to her, almost ripping the garment in her haste to pull them off and discard them in the chamber by throwing them aside.

“My, aren’t we eager?” Salem observed, but her momentary smug remark was silenced by a sudden hot mouth pressing hard kisses over her still sensitive thighs. She sighed from the intensity of Cinder’s attention, her legs parting shamelessly the higher up the maiden kissed her. She had to admit, Cinder really knew how to make her _want_ it; the arrogant girl refused to touch Salem exactly where she knew she needed her the most. 

It took all of Cinder’s willpower not to dive straight into Salem’s waiting heat, instead working to drive the woman crazy with anticipation. She kept this up for several minutes, edging closer and closer to her destination, only to take a detour at the last second. She could feel Salem shifting under her, and heard a groan of frustration.

“Cinder,” Salem felt her name tumble from her lips in a scolding tone. She was practically melting under the maiden’s teasing kisses, the tickles of hot air so close to where she wanted her and yet infinitely, frustratingly too far. Cinder smirked and let out an amused breath down her nose, leaning back to look up at her queen, enjoying the indignant noise Salem made seeing Cinder move _away_.

“Your grace?” she said with practiced, false innocence. Salem glared at her, but it was far less intimidating when Cinder knew she was desperate to be fucked, thanks to her efforts.

“Get on with it,” Salem hissed under her breath, her cheeks darkening with a blush. Cinder inclined her head in understanding, accepting that that was as good as she was going to get, to have Salem beg for it. 

This time, Cinder did as she was told, wrapping her arms securely around Salem’s thighs to hold her still. Cinder dipped her head down. Her warm, wet tongue stroked a line up and down Salem’s soaked core, her fingers squeezing Salem’s thighs firmly, from the delectable taste of the witch’s evident arousal.  
  
“Oh, _yes,_ ” Salem moaned with relief at the contact, the pit of her stomach coiling with pleasure from the subtle movements of Cinder’s tongue. Efficiently, with a natural talent Salem hadn’t been prepared for, Cinder’s tongue lapped over her folds, flicking expertly at her entrance. It was enough to make Salem gasp loudly, her hips bucking under the maiden’s unrelenting grip.

Centuries without pleasure turned the feeling into a fuse, lit by Cinder’s rapidly increasing pace as she licked and kissed hungrily between Salem’s legs. The witch knew she was on course to explode, given enough time under Cinder’s gifted ministrations. Salem’s breathing quickened, her hips starting to match Cinder’s controlled movements.

Cinder couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed herself like this during sex. The sound of Salem’s moans, the taste of her on her tongue, the feeling of her nails cutting into the witch’s skin to hold her writhing hips steady...it was more than she could ever have imagined. 

And Cinder had definitely imagined it. 

The maiden lost herself in her task, groaning against Salem’s folds to express just how much she was enjoying herself too. Salem’s hips lunged up and off the bed when Cinder’s nose began to brush against her clit with every swirl of her tongue. Cinder’s hold of her thighs was so firm she was able to keep the witch where she wanted her. Cinder’s body was aching to be dealt with, but she channeled her own pleasure into granting it to her queen. 

When Cinder plunged her skillful tongue inside Salem, the witch almost screamed, the reality a silent, slack jaw. Salem’s hand shot down to grab the back of Cinder’s head firmly. _Fuck,_ Cinder thought, squeezing her eye shut. The sensation of Salem pulling her hair so hard sent a fresh wave of arousal between her legs. 

Salem couldn’t explain it, but to be worshipped by Cinder like this - it was thrilling, it was new, and she realised, with concern, it was _addictive_. She could get used to it far too easily if she allowed herself to. She doubted Cinder would have any complaints, if the way she was eating her out as if Salem was the last meal on Remnant was any indication.

Cinder could feel Salem’s legs starting to shake, indicating she was getting close already. A surge of pride went through the maiden, to think she could make Salem come so soon. The witch seemed to sense it as well, her fingers caressing Cinder’s hair with approval.  
  
“Well done, my dear maiden,” Salem praised, her voice strained from the tension building in her lower abdomen. Reinforced by the witch’s encouragement, Cinder felt her insides turn to mush from the affectionate title. 

Cinder made sure to angle her face so that the bridge of her nose bumped against Salem’s clit with every thrust into her dripping heat. It had the desired effect, Salem’s head fell back, her entire body grew unbearably hot under Cinder’s work.

After enduring a few more seconds of Cinder’s magic touch, Salem felt the impending burst of pleasure hit her. Her eyes closing, she cried out in ecstasy as the maiden’s fire engulfed her. She rode out her orgasm for as long as she could, her hips bucking desperately against Cinder’s face, squeezing a fistful of the girl’s hair. The maiden kept up her movements, guiding Salem through her high, setting a slower pace. 

Salem felt her body go limp, years worth of tension seeping away as the pleasure ebbed across every inch of her body. She let out a drawn out sigh of relief, her hand loosening from the back of Cinder’s head, dropping away to the side. 

The witch’s eyes slowly fluttered open when she didn’t feel the throbbing warmth between her thighs subside. Looking down, she was met with Cinder still pleasuring her, the maiden’s eye, full of fire, locking with her own. 

“That’s enough,” Salem said, trying to ignore the surge of want for the maiden from the hunger in her pretty eye. She reached to grasp Cinder’s head, tugging her firmly away from her swollen core, staring at the trail of her own come coating Cinder’s mouth and chin. The maiden looked positively delicious, her arousal evident from a heavy lidded eye and her parted lips.

“No...not yet,” Cinder’s voice was low and filled with lust, her breaths heavy from exertion. 

Salem was caught off guard by the maiden’s sudden strength when she reached to grab her arm with her grimm hand. Cinder pinned Salem’s wrist down against the bed, to stop her from holding her back. Salem gasped, barely attempting to pull her wrist free. 

Cinder’s defiant act had sent a fresh wave of heat between her legs, which was exactly where Cinder was currently repositioning herself. Nobody had ever dared to do such a thing...even Ozma, during their honeymoon years, would never have attempted what Cinder was so confident she could accomplish.

“What are you _doing?_ ” Salem’s shock made Cinder smirk with triumph. 

The maiden wrapped her lips over the witch’s clit, giving it a hard suck. Salem’s body reacted immediately, quivering pathetically under Cinder’s mouth. She arched her back, sobbing out the maiden’s name loudly with every brutal flick of Cinder’s tongue.

Salem was sensitive after her first orgasm, so, naturally, she crashed through the second one in record time.

Salem lost the ability to speak, her mouth opening and closing as a sequence of gasps and moans fell from her lips like a sinful symphony Cinder wished she could record for eternity. She didn’t stop yet, her tongue spelling out her name atop Salem’s over-stimulated bundle of nerves. As she finished shaping the letters for F A L L, Cinder pulled away with a wet pop, panting heavily, an arrogant smile plastered over her messy face.

Salem was in a stupor of post-orgasmic bliss, barely able to keep her eyes open as she stared lazily down at Cinder in awe. It was a miracle she had managed to remain sitting upright for the duration. She was still shocked by what the maiden had done, but even more so how well she had achieved her goal. It wasn’t often Salem would admit it, but Cinder was right. This had been exactly what she needed to help her tension dissipate.

Salem had almost forgotten how delightful physical pleasure could be...and she was set on rewarding Cinder for her excellent services. The maiden let go of Salem’s wrist, taking a moment to regain some composure so that her breathing would even out. After a moment, Cinder shifted back and stood up, the change in position granting her a momentary height advantage.  
  
Salem still couldn’t find her voice, gazing at Cinder with an expression the maiden couldn’t quite place. It looked strangely like admiration...though it may simply have been sincere gratitude. Cinder held their eye contact, every unspoken word of their mutual enjoyment of the night’s development shared between them.

The maiden moved back to grant Salem a respectful bow, accompanied by a subtle smile. Cinder felt content with what she had managed to accomplish, despite her roaring arousal that had yet to be dealt with. She would have to do so soon, if she wanted to get any rest tonight. Proud of her ability to bring Salem to the height of pleasure, Cinder was certain she had impressed her queen with her satisfactory performance.  
  
“Goodnight, my lady. Rest well,” Cinder murmured, remembering to mask the affection in her voice as best she could. Salem stared after the maiden as she turned to exit the chamber. 

Cinder reached the doorway before she suddenly froze.

Salem had finally spoken, a single word, and it was enough to make Cinder’s knees feel weak and her heart hammer painfully against her ribs.

“Cinder,” Salem called expectantly in a seductive voice. Cinder turned to cast a glance over her shoulder. 

The sight she was met with made her ache - Salem, looking royally fucked, with her dress hanging open at the waist, her chest rising and falling unevenly, ghostly white thighs painted with purple bruises. Salem gave her a predatory smile and Cinder had to resist the urge to gulp. Lifting her hand, Salem slowly gestured with her finger, beckoning the maiden.

“Come here,” Salem crooned lustfully, and it was obvious behind the look in her glowing, red eyes, that she was far from finished with the maiden.


	2. Salem's Reward

_Come here._

It was almost frightening how two words could ignite both caution and excitement inside Cinder. She didn’t consider disobeying a direct order, no matter how much it made her nervous. After a second’s pause to gather her courage, she turned to stride as confidently as she could towards where Salem sat upon the bed. She left a slightly larger space between them than before. It had proved rather difficult to make the return journey, with the way Cinder’s legs were shaking from the ceaseless throbbing between them still desperate to be attended to.

“I must say I’m impressed by your impeccable conduct tonight,” Salem complimented smoothly, taking note of how her praise prompted colour to stain Cinder’s cheeks.  
  
“Thank you,” the maiden replied, her head dipping forward out of respect. It was also a means to avoid Salem’s eyes; Cinder could feel their intensity lingering on her even now, like a predator admiring its prey. Prey foolish enough to walk willingly into the predator’s lair. 

“Ah, I sense that arrogance of yours is finally receding,” Salem observed with a smirk teasing at the corner of her lips. Cinder’s head lifted in surprise, amber eye widening when it met those she had hidden from. Salem’s crimson irises atop a blackened sky, were alight with desire...and it was aimed at _her_. Salem’s expression softened with feigned disappointment as she looked away, “a shame, truly. I was rather looking forward to putting you in your place.” 

The witch’s statement sent a jolt through Cinder’s body, her mouth parting to exhale an audible breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. Cinder was clever, Salem knew she would be able to deduct what her words really meant. To the witch’s delight, she saw the cogs begin to whir when Cinder’s eyebrows furrowed in concentration. 

Salem was offering to return the favour - to reward Cinder for her devotion, if she simply knew how to interpret and respond to the proposal. Salem always got what she wanted, sooner or later...and right now it appeared that _Cinder_ was what Salem wanted. How many long, lonely nights had Cinder fantasized about that very idea? How many times had she wished Salem would touch her in all the terrible ways she needed her to?

Salem would never ask her directly, Cinder understood by the way the witch began to turn her attention away from the maiden, as if she were growing bored of waiting. Salem’s fingers reached to slip the silky fabric of her dress shut over her bruised thighs. Cinder’s time was running out; she had to answer now or she would miss her chance. 

_She said she wants to put me in my place, which means...I have to step out of it, to force her to follow through with the threat._ Cinder let out a scoff as she figured it out, pushing for her arrogant attitude to reappear, even as it took its dying breath.

“As long as ‘putting me in my place’ doesn’t involve moving. I doubt you’ll be able to stand for a while after what I did to you,” Cinder finally said with pride, as she thought of her achievement. The witch’s eyebrows rose from Cinder’s remark, taking in the way she was fighting with all of her might to keep up the confident act.

 _And there's her answer, good…_ Salem thought to herself, pleased by the outcome of her test. A smile of satisfaction reached Salem’s lips, and Cinder’s facade almost shattered instantly.  
  
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so certain,” Salem warned, with a deadly tone.

It made Cinder’s insides shudder. 

The maiden could only stare as the witch ran her palms down her dress to smooth its creases where it had been disturbed by their sex. After ensuring all was in order, Salem gracefully rose from the bed as if Cinder hadn’t been situated between her legs driving her through two spectacular orgasms moments prior. 

Cinder was hit by the sudden realisation that Salem was no longer tired and no longer in a sedate mood...which meant she was in trouble. The kind of trouble Cinder could never seem to keep herself out of; the kind of trouble Cinder loved to cause.

Cinder almost startled at the haste in which Salem closed the distance between them. The witch’s hands roughly tugged the maiden’s face upward to capture her lips in a kiss. For their first, it was more akin to a battle than an embrace. Salem’s tongue forced Cinder’s lips apart to claim entry, making the maiden moan at the intrusion. As Salem’s tongue delivered strike after strike against her own, Cinder wasn’t sure how she managed to stay upright from the relentless onslaught.

This was the only fight Cinder would ever be fine with losing.

Salem could taste the lingering residue of herself on Cinder’s lips, the reminder of what the maiden had done to her only serving to fuel Salem’s dominance. She felt Cinder’s hands shoot up to grasp onto her shoulders, the maiden’s fingers curling tightly into the silk material of her dress. 

Cinder clung to her as if she would collapse at any given moment, and it dawned on the witch that if she wasn’t careful, Cinder would do just that. The poor girl was pent up with so much desire, given the extent of their recent...activity. Salem decided to show mercy, though it would be temporary. She still had every intention of teaching Cinder a lesson, but if the maiden exhausted her energy too soon it wouldn’t have nearly as much of an impact.

With that thought in mind, Salem broke apart from Cinder’s lips, amused by the maiden’s dazed look, from the way Salem’s tongue had fucked her mouth. Cinder’s breathing was already uneven, her hands trembling where they were clutching at Salem’s dress. Their hold was the only thing keeping Cinder’s knees from buckling. Salem let out a quiet chuckle when Cinder appeared to be unusually coy, refusing to meet her gaze.  
  
“Why won’t you look at me, girl? Are we feeling shy?” Salem teased, her fingers guiding Cinder’s chin, giving a gentle tug to make her look at her. “Have you already forgotten what it was you chose to do to me, tonight? It was _you_ who orchestrated all of this.”

Cinder’s face darkened with a blush at the mention of her successful seduction, but she kept the eye contact Salem sought, feeling her heart racing. She opened her mouth to speak, but only a stammer escaped, making her scowl from her inability.  
  
“Poor thing, you’re burning up,” Salem whispered almost sympathetically, caressing Cinder’s cheek lightly, leaning in to press a much softer kiss to the maiden’s lips.  
  
Despite Salem’s intentions to go easy on her, the tender embrace weakened Cinder just as much as the one before it, an awed sigh escaping the maiden. Cinder shivered into the slow, sensual kiss, and Salem felt the maiden’s knees finally give out. She was quick to wrap an arm around Cinder’s waist and keep her steady, just as Cinder had done for her back within Monstra’s corridors.

“I-I...I need to be fucked,” Cinder whispered weakly against Salem’s lips, ashamed that she had dared utter such a pathetic confession.

The witch’s tenderness had confused her; and Cinder hated how special it made her feel, to be the object of Salem’s previously unsurfaced affection. The maiden’s words were chosen carefully, to remind herself that they were doing just what she’d asked for - they were releasing tension, nothing more. _It could never be more._ Cinder half expected Salem to deny her request, to allow her to drop to the floor, to make her grovel and beg for it. She would even have understood if Salem left her unsatisfied, allowed her own desire to torment her and banished the maiden from her chamber.

Instead, Salem let out a hum of acknowledgement; “yes, I can see that.” The witch’s words were hiding a subtle mirth, from hearing Cinder stating what was so painfully obvious. “Well?” Salem continued, her eyebrows raising as if to say ‘what are you waiting for?’ “ _Get on the bed_.” 

Somehow, Cinder’s inability to contain her desire had only ignited a stronger hunger inside Salem to give the maiden what she so desperately wanted; after all, Salem rewarded good behaviour and Cinder had far exceeded the right to it, tonight.

The witch smiled to herself as she watched the maiden pull away from her to stumble eagerly towards the bed. Cinder let out a shocked noise when Salem’s palm met her lower back and gave her a light, encouraging shove. She fell against the bed on her front, but before she had a chance to move, she felt Salem’s lithe figure pin her down.  
  
“You’re going to punish me,” Cinder said knowingly, her voice thick with lust, the words barely taking form as they exhaled past her lips. The breathless laugh that tickled close to Cinder’s ear almost made her come undone. She writhed underneath Salem, feeling the witch’s breasts, her hardened nipples brushing at her back, sharp hips pressing firmly against her rear.  
  
“Not nearly as much as you want me to, _clearly_ ,” Salem’s mocking should have embarrassed her, should have angered her, but all it did was make Cinder ache even more deeply. It was merely the truth they were both aware of. Cinder tried to turn under her master, but Salem’s deceiving figure had more strength than looks gave credit for, and it was clear she had no intention of allowing the maiden to move from where she had her trapped. 

“I must confess, your earlier disobedience did take me by surprise,” Salem murmured by Cinder’s ear, allowing herself a moment’s pause to recall the way Cinder had managed to make her come twice. Not only that, but all the while sobbing out Cinder’s name, as if the maiden were her lover, and this was something they did frequently.

 _There’ll be time for that, yet,_ Salem thought to herself, the idea that this might become a regular occurrence between them not nearly as concerning to her as it should have been. Against her will, the witch felt a faint warmth taint her ghostly white cheeks. From where she lay beneath her queen, Cinder couldn’t help but grin from the reminder; the look of pure shock on Salem’s face burned into her memory.

“But do you really think you could have accomplished such a feat had I not allowed it?” the witch lied. She knew full well that Cinder’s accomplishments had genuinely caught her off guard for the first time in centuries. She wasn’t about to let her know that though, oh, no. The maiden’s arrogance would reach unbearable heights, if she allowed the truth to get to her head. 

Cinder’s grin dropped from the witch’s revelation, her heart hammering against her rib cage so fast it was a wonder she still remembered to breathe. It served to remind Cinder of her current position, completely at Salem’s mercy. _Why doesn’t that scare me? It should,_ Cinder shuddered, feeling Salem’s breath against the side of her face, coming out harsher, giving away that she was aroused.

“It’s time, my dear maiden, that I remind you who is in charge here,” Salem purred, and the loving edge to her voice contradicted her dominant intention. Cinder whimpered with anticipation, the shift in power between them hitting like a shot of adrenaline.

“It has been quite some time since I indulged in an act so... _erotic_ ,” the witch said with feigned innocence. A throb shot through the maiden, to hear Salem acting as if she were some pure, innocent princess that Cinder had corrupted into doing such sinful things. 

Salem wore a wicked smirk as long, nimble fingers reached down to deftly unbutton Cinder’s shorts; just enough to allow her to shove her hand inside them without warning. Cinder let out a strangled sound from the sudden digits dancing between her legs, her body nearly exploding with heat from the reality of what her master was about to do.

“You’ll forgive me if I’m…” Salem’s words trailed away, her fingers gliding up and down atop ruined underwear, “... _inexperienced_.” She torturously applied more pressure, refusing to dip inside where she knew the maiden needed her. Cinder let out a frustrated huff, the combination of Salem’s cruel fingers taunting her and her blatant sarcasm driving the maiden wild with desire.

“Stop mocking me,” Cinder bit out through grit teeth, her mind a haze of fire.

“You are in no position to be making demands,” the witch’s voice hardened, and Cinder’s stomach plummeted into the abyss, alongside Salem’s last ounce of patience. The witch’s fingers retracted long enough to delve inside Cinder’s underwear, agile digits sliding between slick folds.

Cinder almost cried from the overwhelming sensation, to finally have the contact she’d been craving; but it still wasn’t enough. Salem’s fingers began to explore the plentiful wetness Cinder had made with growing fascination, amazed by the evidence she was presented with. Of course, Cinder had made it clear she was ready for her, but to actually feel just how much? It was exhilarating; Salem exhaled an impressed hum. Cinder couldn’t control her body’s reaction to Salem’s touch, her hips starting to rock forward in a desperate attempt to get the witch’s fingers _inside_ her. Picking up on the unspoken request, Salem smirked, cold lips lingering against Cinder’s flushed face.  
  
“You have been so good to me,” she whispered, slowly pressing the tips of her fingers at the maiden’s entrance. She basked in the shameless moan that tore from Cinder’s throat, and how her hips eagerly jerked into her touch. “And now, your reward,” Salem pressed a kiss to Cinder's jaw, sliding two fingers inside the maiden with ease. 

She did not wait for Cinder to adjust, instead beginning a swift, sharp rhythm, back and forth, bracing herself against her maiden’s body. Cinder’s hips surged forwards into the delicious pressure, causing her to groan deeply. She reached to grasp the bed for support, her grimm hand quivering harder than the other. For someone who claimed to have been celibate for years, Salem’s skill far exceeded her own, reminding Cinder that despite her best efforts, her master still had the upper hand, even in this. 

Cinder’s hips continued to squirm against Salem’s wrist, her movements messy and erratic. Salem’s fingers kept up their unrelenting pace, pulling out to the tip, only to thrust deeper inside, again and again and again, increasing in speed and intensity. Cinder let out an obscene moan as Salem’s palm smashed against her clit every time her fingers sunk into her, amplifying the intense heat growing between her thighs. 

The sound of her dear maiden’s elation and the feel of her tight, sodden walls was enough to make Salem exhale a grunt of approval, her hips grinding against Cinder’s rear for some form of friction. When she heard the familiar sound of fabric tearing, Salem grinned, casting a glance to where Cinder’s grimm claws had shredded the sheets.

 _She is enjoying this far more than I had anticipated,_ Salem frowned in thought as she continued to pleasure the maiden under her. Cinder’s mouth parted to exhale a heavy gasp, her breathing laboured, delighting in every second of her queen’s heavenly attention. Salem realised then, that there may have been more to Cinder’s offer to please her tonight than she first thought. 

“Tell me, Cinder,” Salem began in a sensual voice, “is this what you were hoping for all along?” Cinder’s fingers tightened against what remained of the sheets, the ache at her core starting to become almost unbearable in its intensity. “That I would touch you like this?”  
  
“Yes,” Cinder’s voice was an octave higher, and Salem was pleased to hear the effect she was having on her. At Cinder’s immediate confession, Salem smirked, her fingers curling deeper inside the maiden, rubbing at a certain spot, to reward her honesty. “ _Fuck, yes!_ ” Cinder moaned loudly from the sudden rush of pleasure. 

The knowledge that Cinder had wanted her for a while sent a fresh wave of arousal through Salem. While she would have to deal with it on a more serious note later, right now all she wanted to do was torment the maiden for keeping it from her.

“Such a bad girl, aren’t you?” Salem whispered by her ear, her free hand snaking upward, groping one of the maiden’s breasts, pinching at a hardened nipple, beneath layers of clothing. A mantra of ‘ _yes_ ’s tumbled from Cinder’s lips, her eye squeezing shut as she arched her back, pushing her chest out into Salem's palm, eager for more. Salem's thumb angled to brush along Cinder's clit. Her sharp nail added an edge to the stimulation that Cinder seemed to appreciate, by the way her groin thrust harder into the contact and she let out a surprised whimper. 

It wouldn’t be long now, the witch noted, and with great satisfaction, her fingers halted deep inside Cinder, the contact of her thumb cruelly disappearing as quickly as it had arrived. The maiden nearly sobbed, her eye shooting open again in a panic. Would her final burst of pleasure be denied when she was so close to it? 

Salem released Cinder’s breast to reach around and grab her face, turning her so their eyes could meet. A lone, wide, amber orb met with bright crimson red and Cinder was witness to the overwhelming power in them. Salem, as Cinder had expected, was _punishing_ her for what she had done earlier. They held eye contact, Cinder’s hips desperately trying to grind down onto Salem’s stilled fingers, her breath hitching in her throat when she saw the witch’s expression darken.  
  
A single word was spoken, but it conveyed a clear message.  
  
“Beg.”

Under different circumstances, Cinder may have considered allowing her defiance to resurface, but with the threat of her ecstasy being taken away right at its peak, the maiden could only _obey_.

“Please,” Cinder breathed out, her body screaming for the pleasure Salem was refusing to resume; she began to tremble, beads of sweat trickling down her temple. The witch kept a tight hold of her jaw, eyes narrowing. Salem’s expression remained impassive, and Cinder realised with dread, that she would have to do better than that.  
  
“Salem,” the maiden moaned the witch’s name sensually, watching the woman’s eyebrows arch with approval from her neediness. “Y-You were right, I _am_ a bad girl,” Cinder gasped, feeling Salem’s fingers twitch inside her. Their eyes were still locked together. “Please, your grace,” the maiden sounded strained, another soft moan escaping when Salem’s palm shifted against her clit.  
  
“‘Please’ what?” Salem pressed her to elaborate, the corner of her mouth threatening to curl into a predatory smirk. Cinder wanted to cry with relief that she might be granted release after all.  
  
“I-I...” It was becoming harder to speak with the near painful throbbing between her thighs. Cinder felt the tips of Salem’s stinging fingers curl torturously slowly inside her.  
  
“What is it that you want?” Salem rephrased when Cinder started to struggle.  
  
“I-I want to...” Cinder felt her face grow hot, seeing the satisfied smirk reach Salem’s lips as the maiden understood what she was supposed to say. The vulgarity of it caught Cinder off guard, and yet somehow it only seemed to further arouse her that the elegant, well-spoken queen of grimm could be just as filthy as the rest of them.  
  
“I want to come,” Cinder whispered, her face reddening when Salem’s smirk became a victorious grin that made Cinder ache from how beautiful the witch looked when she got what she wanted. At the request, Salem’s fingers pulled all the way out of Cinder, prompting the maiden to let out a breathy sob from the cease in contact. Confusion, desperation, desire - a storm of emotions coursed through every fiber of Cinder’s being, leaving her a whimpering mess. She knew, in that moment, she would spend the rest of her life at Salem’s mercy.

“You have my permission,” Salem murmured, and before Cinder could react, she felt three fingers push into her at once and the sharp nailed thumb return, setting a vigorous pace the maiden was not ready for. The returning pressure at such heightened intensity was enough to make Cinder scream, her hips becoming frenzied, bucking against the witch’s wrist.  
  
Salem fucked Cinder hard and fast, breathless from her own arousal, watching the maiden unravel beneath her. Salem reached to roughly grab the girl’s jaw, forcing her to lock eyes with her as Cinder felt herself explode, her insides igniting into a fire of ecstasy. Cinder fell from the edge she had been teetering on all night, into a mind-blowing orgasm she could never have accomplished without Salem’s punishment. Dragging out the inevitable had turned Cinder on more than she realised, but Salem, all-knowing as ever, had planned for that outcome. 

Cinder dared not look away as she rode out her high for as long as she could, taking in the smile of accomplishment on Salem’s face and the way she seemed captivated watching Cinder as she came harder than she’d ever done before. It only prolonged her orgasm, as Cinder whispered Salem’s name, her body convulsing thanks to the waves of pleasure coursing through her. 

Salem’s expression softened, tenderly caressing Cinder’s cheek as the maiden’s eye finally fluttered shut. After a long moment, Cinder slumped forward, her hips lying still against the bed, panting heavily. She exhaled a sigh of relief from the content feeling that replaced the tension she had been holding inside for weeks.

Salem watched the girl with an affection she usually kept locked away with the rest of her emotions, her fingers rising to gently brush Cinder’s hair off her face. 

She saw, with amusement, that Cinder was so exhausted after their night of passion she was barely conscious, especially after such a hard hitting orgasm. Salem was careful to remove herself from inside the maiden as gently as possible, so not to disturb her. From the sound of Cinder’s breathing evening out, she was already asleep.

“Rest, my dear maiden,” Salem murmured, leaning in to press a sweet kiss to her cheek, something she could only do with no witness. “You have earned it.”


End file.
